Paul vs. Owen

Very good question, and by asking it you've identified a key problem with the film: although I liked it a helluva lot better than it's b.o and/or reviews would suggest, I wasn't really rooting for her to end up with either of them!!I thought it would've been interesting if she decided to go back to Tony Shalhoub's therapy and deal with her own post-jock-life choices, vs having a man fill that 'hole' so to speak. Compare it to another Reese-love-triangle movie--Sweet Home Alabama--where BOTH guys were strong candidates for her affections, but I wanted her to end up with her not-quite-ex-hubby,played by Josh Lucas, because he knew her for who she really was and not who she pretended to be. Here, despite Brooks' usually mad skills in the character development arena, he never quite digs deeply into ANY of these people. For ex, I was frustrated that Rudd never explains to her what is really going on with him, why she never bothers to ask why he keeps showing up in Owen's building,(because his father lives there) why Owen doesn't take five minutes to talk to Rudd if for no other reason than to size up this potential 'threat' to his relationship..etc. Compare this film to AS GOOD AS IT GETS for example--the complexity of those relationships/characters, and one has to say that Brooks is not improving with age. But in answer to your question, if pushed, I would've chosen the Paul character, too, because he's the better candidate for a long-term relationship. You can imagine the Owen character NOT being able to keep his monogamy pledge for very long. Plus Paul's character knows the history of Play-Dough. :)

Owen was trying to change, but there were flaws in his basic character right down to his DNA. Paul was a nicer guy, but awfully needy. I probably would have chosen myself and try being on my own until I figured out where my life was going.

I'd have picked Paul as well. I think both Reese and Paul's characters were struggling with major life-changing issues. At the same point in each of their lives, they both had events that uprooted who they were in their lives up until that point (Reese had to learn to be something else besides a softball player and Paul had to learn to be independent of his father). The scene where the company employee/partner calls Paul from the window of the father's business really and offers him advice that he (Pau;'s character) can no longer return to the life he's know was a turning point in describing his sturggle (which was essentially what Reese was going through too). Owen's character wasn't in aplace where he could fully appreciate or know what Reese was going through. That doesn't make him a bad person or less of a guy, it just makes Paul's character more "right" for reese. The fact that they could eat an entire meal in silence and still understand each other said a lot.


"Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places." H.P. Lovecraft

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Owens character was egotistical, relentlessly upbeat but not sincere, not intuned to her needs or wants at all, and he was very superficial.

Pauls character needy???? how was he needy, he just got some bad news, his bitch of a g/f leaves him so the man just is looking for some support. He was really more kind, thoughtful, loyal, intune with her needs and wants, truely interested in her as a person, willing to listen to her and understanding what was in her head. He was going through a rough period in his life at this time. He seemed to be the kind of man that once this tough period was over he would be a great catch. I would definitly have chosen Pauls character. Actually it's really not even a competition Pauls character was more real.

Felt Owen would do better without her. Two guys, One trying to change for her witch i feel he somewhat did and the other had great chemistry and liked her. She on the other hand was confused and leading two guys on. Owen was suppose to change for her how about she change and deal with one guy at a time. The big prize she was supposed to be was not much. A person who will do this again in life with men when she becomes confused again. She was the one who stayed the same.

I just saw this last evening and I would have chosen Paul. Owen was a womanizer. Multiple toothbrushes in his bathroom drawer and multiple woman's outfits in his closet? That to me made it seem like his apartment was a revolving door of one night stands. He even made some comment to that effect when he was leaving for a road trip that he was going to still sleep around although not as much. In the beginning Reese seemed to be accepting of this fact because I don't think she was necessarily looking to settle down before her softball career came crashing to a halt. Only after she lost her place on the team, was she thinking about settling down and starting a family, etc.. Paul seemed like a more stable choice.